I should doubt thee, for I care for no taste of thy staff myself, Little
John. I must needs own that there are those of my band can handle a
seven-foot staff more deftly than I; yet no man in all Nottinghamshire
can draw gray goose shaft with my fingers. Nevertheless, a journey to
Ancaster may not be ill for thee; so go thou, as I bid, and thou hadst
best go this very evening, for since thou hast abided at the Sheriff's
many know thy face, and if thou goest in broad daylight, thou mayst get
thyself into a coil with some of his worship's men-at-arms. Bide thou
here till I bring thee money to pay our good Hugh. I warrant he hath no
better customers in all Nottinghamshire than we." So saying, Robin left
them and entered the forest.

Not far from the trysting tree was a great rock in which a chamber
had been hewn, the entrance being barred by a massive oaken door two
palms'-breadth in thickness, studded about with spikes, and fastened
with a great padlock. This was the treasure house of the band, and
thither Robin Hood went and, unlocking the door, entered the chamber,
from which he brought forth a bag of gold which he gave to Little John,
to pay Hugh Longshanks withal, for the cloth of Lincoln green.

Then up got Little John, and, taking the bag of gold, which he thrust
into his bosom, he strapped a girdle about his loins, took a stout
pikestaff full seven feet long in his hand, and set forth upon his
journey.

So he strode whistling along the leafy forest path that led to Fosse
Way, turning neither to the right hand nor the left, until at last he
came to where the path branched, leading on the one hand onward to Fosse
Way, and on the other, as well Little John knew, to the merry Blue
Boar Inn. Here Little John suddenly ceased whistling and stopped in